Record drought continues in the South
Most of Alabama and Georgia, the Tennessee Valley, and now North Carolina are experiencing "exceptional" drought conditions in the record-breaking drought that has plagued the South throughout the second half of 2007.
Rainfall in Alabama is more than 30 inches below normal for the year. Here in East Tennessee, we are about 18 inches below normal. (Although we are getting some welcome relief from a severe storm system blowing through as I type this.)
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, "Many locations in the Southeast are on pace to have the all-time driest year on record, with many stations having histories back to the 1880 time period." Also, "Of the 628 water systems being tracked, 173 have mandatory water conservation measures in place, while 162 have voluntary restrictions in place." You can read their full report and review the latest map here.
More "water wars" controversy erupted earlier this week, when the chairman of the Atlanta Regional Commission suggested running a pipeline from the Tennessee River to Atlanta, where water supplies are running dangerously low. According to the Huntsville Times, there was even talk of a deal involving cooperation on a light rail line between Chattanooga and Atlanta in exchange for a water pipeline.
TVA says there are no such plans in the works, but even if there were it would violate all kinds of current federal regulations. TVA is expected to review their water transfer policy sometime in 2008, but it is unlikely they will get in the middle of the ongoing Alabama/Georgia/Florida water war. The Decatur Daily has more on the controversy.
Ironically, the Tennessee River would flow through a corner of Georgia if not for a stingy governor who, in 1818, provided only "a sextant 'of English construction' and astronomical tables that 'were not such as I could have wished them to be'" instead of proper surveying tools for teams sent to survey the border between Tennessee and Georgia. It was supposed to be at the 35th Parallel, but they missed by about a mile. You can read the fascinating story here.
Rainfall in Alabama is more than 30 inches below normal for the year. Here in East Tennessee, we are about 18 inches below normal. (Although we are getting some welcome relief from a severe storm system blowing through as I type this.)
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, "Many locations in the Southeast are on pace to have the all-time driest year on record, with many stations having histories back to the 1880 time period." Also, "Of the 628 water systems being tracked, 173 have mandatory water conservation measures in place, while 162 have voluntary restrictions in place." You can read their full report and review the latest map here.
More "water wars" controversy erupted earlier this week, when the chairman of the Atlanta Regional Commission suggested running a pipeline from the Tennessee River to Atlanta, where water supplies are running dangerously low. According to the Huntsville Times, there was even talk of a deal involving cooperation on a light rail line between Chattanooga and Atlanta in exchange for a water pipeline.
TVA says there are no such plans in the works, but even if there were it would violate all kinds of current federal regulations. TVA is expected to review their water transfer policy sometime in 2008, but it is unlikely they will get in the middle of the ongoing Alabama/Georgia/Florida water war. The Decatur Daily has more on the controversy.
Ironically, the Tennessee River would flow through a corner of Georgia if not for a stingy governor who, in 1818, provided only "a sextant 'of English construction' and astronomical tables that 'were not such as I could have wished them to be'" instead of proper surveying tools for teams sent to survey the border between Tennessee and Georgia. It was supposed to be at the 35th Parallel, but they missed by about a mile. You can read the fascinating story here.
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